Unlucky floor numbers in elevators
Unlucky floor numbers are usually meant for some cultures that recognizes some numbers meant for bad things, such as death, in Chinese. Elevators in some region usually omit unlucky numbers and replace with another number (except the building owners don't care about this). Examples of unlucky floor numbers that usually omitted in elevators 4 In Chinese culture, fourth floor is usually omitted from most elevator fixtures in a Chinese building, this is because the number means "death". It was considered that the number 4 in pinyin means "sì" while death is "sǐ". Both of these words are nearly homophonous. Some buildings in Asia skipped the fourth floor either by numbering it as "5" or by designating the floor as "3A" or something similar. In some buildings in South Korea, fourth floor is labelled "F" (Four) instead of 4 in elevators. The practice of avoiding instance of number 4 is called Tetraphobia. OTIS_3200_Buttons.jpg|In Chinese culture, 4th floor is usually omitted from most elevator fixtures in a Chinese building, this is because the number means "death", this is because the number 4 in pinyin means "sì" while death is "sǐ". Both of these words are nearly homophonous. KutaParadiso floorbuttons.JPG|An elevator button panel skipped 4th floor. Sigma round buttons GMHS.JPG KONE K-Delta Buttons (2).JPG LG black buttons ARS.JPG|Sometimes, fourth floor is replaced to another floor number, for example, Lobby ("L") or Mezzanine ("M", see photo below) is being the fourth floor. Flat KDS 300 round buttons_HKK.JPG Mitsubishi CBV-C210 Panel.jpg|An elevator button panel with fourth floor numbered as "3A". Hitachi old touch buttons PK.jpg New OTIS square buttons.jpg|Notice the fourt floor is labelled as "3B". 9 In Japan, 9 is also skipped in some buildings, especially hospitals, due to the sound "ku" being associated with the word "kurushimu" ("to suffer"). 13 Number 13 is regarded as an unlucky number in many cultures. Unreasoned fear of the number 13 is termed triskaidekaphobia. Due to this fear, some tall buildings have resorted to skipping the "thirteenth floor", either by numbering it "14" (though it's really still the thirteenth floor) or by designating the floor as "12A" or something similar. M-Line buttons push.jpg|A 1990s Schindler elevator that skipped 13th floor. EuroLift buttons.jpg Old OTIS Black Buttons.png OTIS Series 1 button panel.jpg ThyssenKrupp STEP Classic.png|ThyssenKrupp elevator buttons without 13th and 14th floor buttons. GoldStar floor buttons Hotel Ciputra Jakarta 2.jpg Grand Mercure Fortune Hotel Hitachi COP.jpg IMG 1244.JPG|Dewhurst US91 Optic car station without 13th floor buttons. 14 In China, 14 is considered more unlucky than the individual 4, since 14 sounds like "will certainly die". Some buildings in Asia simply numbering it as "15" or "12B" or even "13A". Bc27.jpg|Another elevator button panel without 13th and 14th floor buttons. 24 Like 14, 24 is considered more unlucky since 24 sounds like "easy to die" in Chinese. This also applies for 34, 44, 54, etc. Mitsubishi black and white.jpg|Notice the elevator button panel doesn't have 44th floor button. 49 49 is considered to be an especially unlucky number in Japan as it is evocative of the phrase "shinu made kurushimu", which means "to suffer until death". Category:Elevator